Do you want to take your Kodi to the next level? If so, creating your custom build is the right thing for you. Such build includes a skin, add-ons, and specific configuration to get the proper functionality. It won’t contain any redundant stuff, meaning it will work fast without the problems you often get when using third-party builds. This tutorial will guide you through all the steps for creating an awesome build, especially for your needs.
First, you need to install a skin. The one we recommend is Aeon Nox Silvo. This skin looks amazing with all the required functionality. You will need to prepare background images before the installation, as this skin has no default background image.
Here is how to install Aeon Nox Silvo:
- Launch Kodi
- Click Add-ons
- Click the add-on browser icon
- Click Install from repository
- Click Kodi Add-on repository
- Click Look and feel
- Click Skin
- Click Aeon Nox: SiLVO
- Click Install
- Click OK to accept the installation of additional add-ons
- Wait till the installation is completed, and then a popup will appear
- When the popup appears, click Yes to switch to the new skin
- When another popup appears, click Yes to keep this change
- Wait till the setup of the skin is completed, and then a popup will appear
- When the popup appears, click Yes to choose background images
- Click Set multi-image background
- Click External storage
- Choose the folder containing the images for the background
Here is how to configure a menu item action:
We will show how to configure an action for the Movies item on the main screen, but you can do it the same way for the other items. In this example, we will use the popular Umbrella add-on (you need to install this add-on if you haven’t done it already), but you can use whatever add-on you prefer for movies from our list of add-ons here.
- From the main screen of Aeon Nox Silvo, click System
- Click Interface
- Under Skin click Configure skin
- Hover over Customization and click Setup the Aeon Nox main menu
- Hover over Movies and click Change action
- Click Add-ons >
- Click Video add-ons >
- Click Umbrella >
- Click Movies >
- Click Create menu item to here
How to set up a widget:
After configuring the action, adding a widget is the next step. This widget appears once you hover over the menu item. You can define one or two widgets. The second widget appears above the first one.
- Scroll down and click Select widget 1
- Click Select widget
- Click Add-ons >
- Click Video add-ons >
- Click Umbrella >
- Click Movies >
- Click New Movies > (You can choose another section you prefer instead, like Most Popular or Box Office)
- Click Use a widget
- Click Done
You can set up widget 2 the same way you did for widget 1.
Here is how to customize the widget style:
After clicking Done, you can customize the widget to make it look nicer.
- Click Widget style
- Click Panel extended
- Click Case and select Glass
- Click Panel widget info to enable it
Here is how to change the background image:
- From the main screen of Aeon Nox Silvo, click System
- Click Interface
- Under Skin click Configure skin
- Hover over General and click Set default background
- Click Set multi-image background
- Click External storage
- Choose the folder containing the images for the background
When you select a folder of images, they will rotate on the Kodi main page. If you choose Set single image background once clicking Set default background, select a specific image and not a folder.
Where are your add-ons?
From the main screen of Aeon Nox Silvo, click Apps. You will see all your add-ons there arranged by categories.
Here is how to manage the main menu:
You probably want to remove some of the menu items from the main menu as you won’t need them, and also change other aspects of the menu.
Here is how to remove a menu item:
- From the main screen of Aeon Nox Silvo, click System
- Click Interface
- Click Configure skin
- Hover over the main menu in the left pane, and click Setup the Aeon Nox main menu
- Hover over the menu item in the left pane, and click Disable in the right pane
You can also change additional aspects of the menu. Here are some of them:
- Change the order of the menu items by clicking the up/down arrows next to an item
- Rename the menu item by clicking Set label in the right pane
- Create a new menu item by clicking the plus sign next to an item
- Select a background image for the menu item by clicking Select background in the right pane
- Manage a submenu by clicking Manage submenu in the right pane
How to access a submenu?
From the main screen of Aeon Nox Silvo, hover over the menu item, and click the down arrow of your remote.
How to access the File Manager?
The File Manager isn’t located in the Interface settings like the Estuary skin but is found in the System submenu.
Here is how to change the colors of the skin:
- From the main screen of Aeon Nox Silvo, click System
- Click Interface
- Click Configure skin
- Hover over Customization in the left pane, and click Choose skin colors in the right pane
- Choose the color you prefer in the right pane, and click Yes to confirm
What else can you do?
Under the Interface settings, you can change things like font, language and zoom. When clicking Configure skin, you can change many other configuration parameters related to the skin. Explore those parameters and fine-tune your build. You have all the tools to be creative!
Additional features of Kodi you can use
Kodi has extensive functionality and cool features, you won’t find with any other application. Use those features to improve your streaming experience. Here you can find a list:
- Watch videos from local storage
- Set up screensaver
- Change the startup action and screen
- Add weather service
- Add RSS ticker
- Activate autocomplete
- Use a maintenance add-on
Additional services you may want to integrate with your build
External services can improve your streaming experience significantly by integrating them with your build. Here are the ones we recommend:
Another essential part of customizing a build is to install the add-ons you need. You can find here a list of the best add-ons for your build.
You can revert to Estuary, which is the default Kodi skin. Here is how to do it:
- From the main screen of Aeon Nox Silvo, click System
- Click Interface
- Click Skin
- Choose Estuary and click Yes to keep this skin
That’s all, now you can enjoy the amazing look and feel of your custom build.